KUALA LUMPUR: All preschool education implementing agencies must start hiring kindergarten teachers with at least diploma qualification from next year.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the requirement for such an academic qualification would be fully enforced by 2020.
“Preschool teachers serving under government agencies or the private sector can enrol into any public or private university that offers the diploma in early childhood education (DECE) using a special requirement, namely the Accreditation of Prior Experiental Learning.
“However, this is subject to approval from that particular higher education institution,” he said in a statement, here, today.
Mahdzir said all the implementing agencies must also look into the welfare of the existing preschool teachers who did not have the qualification to pursue the DECE.
“Preschool education for children aged between four and six is subject to the Education Act 1996 (Act 550) and comes under the responsibility of the Education Ministry.
“On April 1, the government approved the academic requirement set to become preschool teachers, that is, at least possessing the DECE,” he said.
He added that such a policy was meant to improve the quality of education at all preschools and to also raise the professionalism of preschool teachers in Malaysia. --Bernama